The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-25
WASHINGTON, d. G.
THE BiII OF Crank who wants TO
shoot the Clouds.

lBPBCiAL TO THK APPEAL
WASHINGTON, January 24.-Cengress
has come to be- looked upon as the last
resources OF those who have some grand
and msgoifil ent scheme which will
revouionizs the world but which has
been rejected by the cold and practi-
cal men OF business outside the halls
OF legislation. | is consequently often
aiIlc ed with the extraneous produc-
tiOns OF the genus crank. Possibly,
however, the petition OF Gen. Daniel
RuggleH, the ex.Confedsrste Brigadier
General, OF fredericksburg, Va,
which was presented in the House to.
day by Mr.. Brady, takes the lead In
that species OF genius which comes
uuder The head OF crankiness in the
acCepta'ionoi the multitude. The pe-
titi,n clvers a dozen pages OF close
ly written paper, aud is Couched In
high h)wn scientific terms, which
are fang around regardless Of
expense and in manner to fairly
bewllder the unscientfic individual
The petitioner starts out with re-
quest for Gan appropriation OF $780,
600 to be expended in developing his
eyttsm Of producing rainfall and resist
ing cyclones and tomatoes" He
goss on t. say that che has invented
method for precipitating rainfall
from rain clouds inSthe aerial realm
and for coudensing clou Is in the at
mospherical domains, to prevent
drouth, to stimulate and sustain vege-
tation, to equal re .ainlall aud water.
h,wt n1 by combining the available
ienttic inventions OF the Pgs to
guard sgainRt pestilence and famine
aud TO prevent or to alleviate them
when prevailing. That he has also
devised method for resisting
cyclones, tornadoes and water spouts
by dispensing them"
After long dissertation upon the
logiCa feasibility OF his system, the in
ventor goes on to explain that in order
to ptecipitale rainfall he would, "by
a combination OF the available inven-
u1ns, chemical and mechanical,
sind torpedoes charged with
dynamite and other explosives
in skeleton balloons into Il lating rain
clouds, and tnere explode them by
msgpet, electric force through the
well proved me fuse, to send shocks
and vibration throughout the aerial
horizon"
H. order to carry out the plan to the
best advantage and secure the bel
OBJ ainab'e results, he desires "the co
operation of the Signal Corps and the
liberal employment Of artillery, both
light and heavy gune, under favorable
conditions; OF the army and navy, ant
OF the volunteer service OF the re
Epective States, as an auxiliary force
by single guns or by salvoes in com
bination with explosives in the aeIia
rsglm."
"rhe inauguration Of this system,
he continues, will ba necessarily
based, like all great original enter
prises, on limited experimental be
ginniug' at sta ions bordering on thu
field Of action"
He fails hyrs 10 explicitly stat,
where the field of action" is, but a
Il presumably tho "serial realm" /
would he interesting 10 learn tn
Generals ideas as b. the place tina
comes nearest 10 bordering 90" tina
fed. He urges Congress to "estab
lsh loca TO pedo stations supple,
with sm'oth bore and rifl d guns 70
hurling torpedoes, cylindrical shot
aud abslls, AID long ranged rocket
slso thrown from guns and hen prC
ice ed by Inherent force with acce q
atsd fight, charged with dynhmit
and the tim fuse for the explosion
in conjunction with shot a.